Page 13 - Longwell Green FC v Oldland Abbotonians 271221

finished 4th and been assured that promotion was imminent at the
end of 2015/16 Oldland were disappointingly not promoted and had
to start again with the squad moving away.
2016/17 was a pivotal year as although the football side
disappointed, through fundraising and grants the club spent in excess
of £70,000 on ground improvements including safety fencing, pitch
maintenance equipment, a new stand and CCTV system. In 2017/18
the team were led by Scott Armstrong and for most of 2018/19 by
Jon Toy a former player with a wealth of experience before Clayton
Woodman and Steve Cains returned to the club they had played for.
These two have stepped into the joint Chairman role from the
summer of 2021 with the mangers being former coaches Darren
Sealey and Paul Weeks plus Kevin Goddard on the coaching side who
has brought with him along with a host of new, keen and more
importantly, local players.

The Reserves are managed by Steve Cains, Craig Durnell and our
Somerset Floodlit Under 18s boss Ryan Auchterlonie and from
2018/19 a newly formed adult third team, The Colts, plays in the
Bristol & District League, managed by Jamie White assisted by Colin
Towler.
Oldland has often been described as a nursery for Bristol Rovers with
Vic Lambden, Peter Sampson, Brian Bush and Mike Tippets all playing
for the club before turning professional at Eastville. Former Rovers
favourite Bobby Jones was one of many successful Oldland
managers, a list which includes David Hillier.

Abbots rose to heady heights under the leadership of Alan Bush in
the 1980's with the help of former Rovers players Jeff Meacham, the
late Steve Talboys (Wimbledon) plus Rovers favourites Graham Day,
Peter Aitken and Phil Bater. Among other youngsters who left Abbots
to play for Rovers were Stuart Taylor, Phil Kite and Kevin Westaway.